The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-10-06
Bruin at q Baptizing.

WILLIAMSBURG, KY, September 2S.-
There hadn't been bear in Whitley
County for year until last Sunday.
The chicken roost of Farmer Bob Gent.
ry, who lives eight miles north of Will
iamsburg, had been twice raided by some
wild animal, and Mr.. Gentry, who ex'
amined the footprints, said it was bear.
He and his neighbors took their guns
and dogs and hunted the mountains for
two or three days, but they found moth
ing. They concluded that the bear was
not pleased with the taste Of the fowls,
and had emigrated to another county,
where he might find morsels more suited
to the taste of an ursine epicure. They
gave up the hunt.
Last Sunday was baptizing day at the
New Salem Baptist Church, which stands
on the banks of South Fork Greek, one
mile from farmer Gentry's. The congre.
CATION on that day was much larger than
usual. In the mountains baptism is
great event. Everybody goes. This was
a big one. There were twelve converts,
eight men and four women, to be i'm.
mersed. The preliminary services in the
Church lasted two hours, and the build
ing was crowded. The Rev. Mr.. Bell
preached one of his greatest sermons.
Five persons came forward to the mourn.
er's bench. After the sermon all went
out to the baptism. The creek is very
shallow in some places, and the preacher
had TO- 60 quite distance in order to
secure place deep enough for the i'm.
mersion. Alta point where it entered q
channel between two high hills his en-.
terprising parishioners had built a dam
across the stream, and the water was up
to a mans waist. The hills on either
side rose pretty steeply, and were covered
with trees and underbrush. At the foot
of each was narrow piece of level green
sward, on which the congregation assem-.
bled.
Preacher Bell waded into the water,
his parishioners on the bank began a
hymn, and the first person Was immersed.
The services continued without hinder
ance until the seventh convert was
reached. Mrs. Eliza Estill was the wife
of one of the most provident farmers in
Whitley County, and her confession of
the Baptist faith had been a source of
great pride to the good Mr.. Bell and the
members of his congregation. She was
a large woman, turning the scale of two
hundred, and some Of the wicked boys
we're very doubtful Of Mr.. Bells ability
to 60 through the ceremony with her
without accident. The woman waded
into the water, and the full chorus Of the
hymn of praise echoed back from the
mountain side as she stood with her eyes
closed ready to be plunged under the
water.
Mr.. Bell reached out his hands, and 8
woman on the bank uttered shrek
"Look therew she screamed, pointing to
the hill back of her on the south side of
the stream. A large black animal was
scrambling through the trees and over
tho rocks toward the crowd.
"a bearl" shouted the men. They
had left their weapons at home. One Of
them picked up a boulder and threw it
at the animal, striking him On the flank.
Bruin growled and accelerated his ap-
proach.
All the baptizers fled in dismay.
Those who we're on the same side of the
water with the bear jumped into the
stream, and, gaining the other bank, ran
toward their homes. Mr.. Bell abandoned
Mrs. Estill in the middle of the stream,
and, leaving his coat on the bank, Joined
the fugitives.
Mrs. Estill was sorely frightened, but
she couldn't faint in the middle of the
stream. She attempted to reach the
shore, but her dress, inflated by the water,
made her progress slow, and before she
could do 80 the bear was upon the bank.
Here the animal stopped to devour q
hymn book, and while he was mastica'
| l; L. M.a Eat;ll raaohad dry ground